Still Hurts
by Mustard Lady
Summary: In the late night, Little Legolas and his father King Thranduil mourn for the Queen of Mirkwood.


**This is different from my other LOTR fics, because Alasse is not involved in this one. I don't own LOTR. Hope you like it.**

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**Hiro-_"People keep saying he's not really gone, as long as we remember him. It still hurts."_**

**Baymax-_"I see no evidence of physical injury."_**

**Hiro-_"It's a different kind of hurt." _**

_**-Big Hero 6**_

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Thranduil lay sprawled as close to the edge of the bed as he could, away from 'her' designated spot. Another sleepless, meaningless night. He considered getting some wine for himself but did not have the will to make the effort. He could summon a servant, but he wanted to left completely alone.

The nights had _never _been the same without her! Ever since she'd been gone, the bed had felt foreign to him, except when their son slept with him of course. Even then, the both of them could feel all too keenly the great loss of her absence and would cling to each other.

"It should not have been you." Thranduil whispered, tears springing to his eyes. He refused to let them fall freely in front of Legolas or any of his subjects. His only true solace was when he was completely alone. But that was also when he felt lonelier than he ever had.

He heard little footsteps approaching, and the door slowly opened. Thranduil saw a small, lithe figure standing in the doorway. Thranduil quickly cleared his throat to hide the fact that he'd been crying. He sat up on his side. "Legolas, what is the matter?" He asked softly.

"My stomach aches, Ada." Legolas moaned, holding his middle. "May I sleep with you?"

"Of course, little leaf." Thranduil nodded, and sitting up straight, he pulled back more of the covers to make room for his son.

Legolas trudged sadly inside his father's bed chamber, closing the door behind him and slowly clambered up into the big bed, to _his _spot, in the middle of the mattress that had been his claimed area ever since he was born. Often in the middle of the night, Thranduil or his late Queen Calathiel would bring the little elfling into bed with them when he woke up crying and would sandwich him between the two of them. It would be a sweet family bonding time for all of them.

Thranduil quickly covered his son up and leaned down next to him. "You can't sleep either?" He asked.

"I _was _asleep. Then I woke up." Legolas answered simply, lying flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

"You don't feel well?"

"No. My stomach hurts, Ada. A lot." Legolas looked up at him sadly. Thranduil slightly sat up, leaning on his side.

"It does, huh? Do you feel sick?" He asked.

"No. It just hurts." Legolas said dazedly.

"Tell me where it hurts, son." Thranduil said.

"All over." Legolas moaned. Thranduil slowly pushed his son's hands away, lifted his nightshirt and gently prodded his abdomen.

"Does it hurt when I touch you?"

"No. It hurts inside." Legolas said, looking sadder than when he'd first come in, if that was even possible!

"I see. When we lose someone we love very much, our bodies grieve with us." Thranduil hung his head, lightly patting his son's middle. He knew what the problem was. Legolas was still missing his mother. It had been a year since she'd been murdered at Gundabad, having given herself up as a hostage in her son's place. Time did _not _heal all wounds. Thranduil and Legolas both still missed her, horribly! "Well, try to go to sleep, son." Thranduil sighed.

"Please don't stop, Ada." Legolas mewed, placing his hands on his arm.

"Don't stop what?" Thranduil cocked his head.

"Don't stop rubbing my belly." Legolas looked up at him pleadingly. "It..makes me feel better." Thranduil nodded, but he lay back down on his side, close to his son and gently massaged his son's middle.

"Does this help?" Thranduil asked.

"Mmm-hmm." Legolas nodded, tilting his head toward his father's chest. Thranduil kissed Legolas on the nose and tears started to come down the elfling's face.

"What is it, _ion nin?"_

"Ada, do you still miss Nana?" Legolas asked sadly. Thranduil felt as if his heart had been clenched with scissors.

"Of course I do, my son!" He declared passionately. "I miss her so much, every day. Every minute!"

"But, you almost never talk about her." Legolas looked up at him questioningly.

"Come here, _ion nin." _Thranduil nodded. Legolas shifted himself closer. "Legolas, look at me, little leaf. I am sorry, if it makes you feel that I do not care about what happened to Nana. I _do care! _It hurts me too, every day, not to have her with us. The reason I do not speak much about her, is because...I can't. It hurts _too _much. It makes me sadder. Can you understand that?" He asked fervently.

"I think so." Legolas nodded blankly. "I still do not want to play Hide-and-Seek now, because she always played it with me. The servants have offered to play it with me, but...it's not the same."

"I'm sorry." Thranduil murmured, sitting up straight and momentarily removing his hand from Legolas's stomach, to stroke his hair. Legolas's face scrunched up with tears and he covered his face with his hands.

"I still miss her!" Legolas cried.

"I know, my son." Thranduil wept with him, tugging him closely against his broad chest. "I _know!" _He kissed the top of his little leaf's hair.

"I miss her so much! I wish she could come back." Legolas sobbed. Thranduil felt a searing pain deep in his chest when his son said that. His very soul ached for that outcome every minute he breathed! He felt himself breaking down. He could not fight it much longer.

"It isn't fair, is it, Ada?" Legolas whimpered.

"No, it is not." Thranduil agreed with all his heart. "But I am still here, Legolas. And will not leave you! I swear on my life, I will not leave you!" Legolas hid his face in his father's chest, and the two of them wept together, clinging to each other for dear life. Legolas was the only reason Thranduil was still alive! He had given his father a reason to keep living. The _only _reason to keep living, so that his wife's immense sacrifice would not have been for nothing! No, Legolas would have a full life like any elfling should.

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When their sobs had calmed, Legolas was still shedding tears as he lay there, cradled in his father's strong arms. Thranduil tenderly stroked his face. "Let's try to sleep, shall we?" Thranduil suggested as he started to shift down back into the covers. Legolas grabbed his large hand and brought it back to his stomach.

"Please?" He asked.

"Sure, _ion nin_." Thranduil nodded. Holding Legolas's small body against his chest, he gently massaged Legolas's belly. Legolas succumbed to the comforting ministration, clenching some of Thranduil's long hair in his small fist. Thranduil smiled slightly when he saw Legolas yawning quietly. When Legolas's eyes glazed over, Thranduil stopped and gently placed him down flat in the big bed, then snuggled up right next to him, his long arm protectively pulling him as close to himself as possible. "I love you, Legolas," He murmured.

"I love you, Ada." Legolas whispered, then was asleep. Thranduil practically swallowed his son up alive in a huge, firm, fatherly embrace.

"Sleep sweetly, my little leaf."


End file.
